Apparatus for baling cotton



(No Model.) 4 Sheet sSheet 1. I

- E. M. IVENS.

APPARATUS FOR BALING COTTON. No. 475,117. 7 Patented May 17,1892.

WITNESSES: R //v mm d w 9 14 I Edmund M Jams.

A TTOR/VE Ys (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. M. IVENS. APPARATUS FORBALING COTTON! Patented May 17, 1892.

- INVENTOR: Edna/ad 26. Juan- W/TNESSES:

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3 t e e h S S t e 6 h S 4 S N E V I M E M d M o m APPARATUS FOR BALINGCOTTON No. 475,117. Patented May 17.1892.

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INVENTOI? Edmund J5. Jvems.

WITNESSES: F dag/i ATTORNEYS 4 S N E V I M APPARATUS FOR BALING COTTON.

Patented May 17, 1892.

INVENTUH. Edmund .26. Ivan/s.

WITNESSES A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'EDMUND M. IVENS, OF NEIV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

APPARATUS FOR BALING COTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,117, dated May 1'7,1892.

Application filed July 20, 1891- Serial No. 400,166. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND M. IVENS, residing at New Orleans, Orleansparish, in the State of Louisiana, have invented a new andusefulApparatus for Baling Cotton, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has relation to a machine forbaling cotton, the objectsbeing to provide mechanism for baling the fiber in bales of such densityas to admit of its cheap transportation and handling, and it moreparticularly refers to that class of baling-machines which operate tobale the cotton by what is known as the roller process.

With other objects in view not stated, but hereinafter fully set out, myinvention consists in the novel arrangement and peculiar combination ofthe several parts. all of which will hereinafter be fully described inthe annexed specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is aside elevation, partly in section, of my improved baling machinery,showing it in operative condition and in connection with a cotton-gin.Fig. 2 is an end view of the rotatable cotton-box and the auxiliaryplaten hereinafter referred to. Fig. 3 is a top View, and Fig. 4 a topview of the auxiliary platen. Fig. 5 is an end view of the folder orlapper. Fig. 6 is'a side View of the same, and Fig. 7 is an end view ofthe bagging-reel.

In the accompanyingdrawings I have shown, in Fig. 1, my inventionlocated in a ginning mill or house in connection with an ordinary ginand also in connection with suitably-arranged compressing-rollsmechanism, through which the fiber is passed and by which it is pressedinto'a continuous sheet of batting, from which rolls it passes through aswinging folder or lapping device, which serves to fold the batting insheets as it is fed to the cotton-receiving box hereinafter specificallyreferred to.

While for the sake of a clear understanding of the operation of myinvention I have shown it in connection with a gin and batforming rolls,I desire it understood that I make no claim on such devices.

It is well known by those skilled in the art that cotton-bales which areprimarily compressed by the ordinary plantation-press to facilitatetheir transportation to a point for a final compression by the large andpowerful compresses are very bulky and occupy more space than they wouldoccupy if properly compressed at the start. This very serious objectionto the rapid and cheap delivery of the bales is avoided by the rollerprocess, which compresses the bale to the density required before itleaves the gin-house. In the use of said process, so far as I know, itis necessary to stop the ginning and bat-lapping devices every time abale is about to be compressed, thereby causing a delay and considerablyreducing the daily capacity of the baling machinery. By my invention Ipropose to render the operation of the ginning, bat-forming, and lappingdevices continuous, whereby as the cotton in the press-box is in the actof being compressed the gin-rolls and the folder will continue in theiroperation, so as to accumulate a quantity of folded cotton ready to bedropped into the press-box as soon as it is again brought into position.

In the particular construction of my improved baling devicesIemploy apress-box or frame formed with a pair of cotton-receiving chambers,which box is held to rotate about a fixed spindle, such chambers beingarranged to alternately form a receiving and a compressing chamber, theparticular construction of such rotatable press-box and the'compressingdevices being, except in such details as will be hereinafter fully setforth, precisely of the same construction as that shown and described inanother application filed by me May 9, 1891, Serial No. 392,240.

In the drawings, A indicates the floor of the ginning-mill, and abovethe same is the usual platform or second floor 13, upon which is mountedthe cotton-gin O, operated by the drive-belt D, as shown, said gin beingconnected by a conveyor with a condensing-chamber F of any improvedconstruction, which connects with the pressure-rolls G, which serve topress the loose cotton into batting, which is discharged from said rollsG through a folder or lapping device H through an opening X in the floorB into the cotton-receiving box presently referred to.

The folder or lapping device, which is most clearly illustrated in Figs.5 and 6, the construction of which forms an essential part of my presentinvention, consists of an oblong frame J, formed at its upper end withearsj, to which are connected stud-bolts j,'which form the pivots onwhich the frame is supported, such bolts being journaled in aperturedhubs K, fixedly held in the side beams Zof the supporting frame or tableL. The sides of the frame J converge, so as to form a contracteddischarge-mouth 7' M indicates a connecting-rod, which is pivotallyconnected with the oscillating folderframe at mandat m to the drivingmechanism, as shown. To provide means for keeping the discharge end ofthe folder always in a parallel or horizontal line with and just overthe bale of cotton being folded, so as no qd op Q n y re e dis n atonepoint than is necessary andi always' atjap pro ri'mately the samedistancefrom the topfofibale-box,wherehy to preserve the density ofcotton intact after ithas passed the compressing-rolls, I form the sidesJ' J? of:

slattedpertions, as shown, in: such slatted si'des are held, preferablyby tongue-andgrooveconnections, niq fable'slatted sections .1 whichsections are arrangedto' be alternately niovedin or o'utas the folder isoscil lated', so as to form extensio'nsfor the said side's. Thusshould/the folder be swung in the c li'rectionlin'dicated by dottedlines in Fig. 5 th e sectioh J 2 in theside J will gradually meveout, soas to keep the lower or discharge end on'the horizontal plane indicatedby the dotted line X. It willbe' also observedthat as: the telescopicsection J is moved downward o'r outward, asjstated, the opposite sectionJ twill be drawn upward in the side- J Now when the folder is drawn in areverse direction the section J? will be gradually drawnglinward andgtheother section downwarduntil the folder assumes its vertical positifon,whenthe lower ends of the sections J J 2 will be in the same plane withthe'bottom.

of the folder frame', and as it proceeds on a reverse movement thesection J 4 will be pushed outward and the section Jtpulled inward.'Iorender the operation of the sections J J 4 simple and automatic, Iutilize theoscillating, movementofzthe folder as the power for operatingthem. Any suitably-arranged rack or gear mechanism maybe employed forthe purpose stated; but Ipreferto use the mechanjis'lnjshown, whichconsists inproviding a fine d segmental gear K formed integral with thehubs K, with which engage segmental gears N, pivotally secured totheends of the framesJ, such gears being formed integral with thetransverse lever-arms N, the outer ends of whichare connected by thepivoted rodsQ \vith'erossbars 'j j on the telescopic sections J J Bythis construction it will be,

observed that as the folder isoscillated in the mannerbefore stated thegear N, engaging the fixed segment, will turn'on itspiVOt'and' causethelever-arms N to be's'wu ng,'soas to pull and 'push thesections J Jtinthe reverse directions stated.

the folded cotton is being pressed.

In my other patent referred to, as well as in other similar machinesnowin use, the construction of the several parts is such that after asufficient quantity of cotton has been folded into the press-box thefolder and ginning devices are temporarily stopped while To save thiswaste of time and loss of capacity, I arrange for continuously operatingsuch parts. To this end I provide the means most clearly shown in Fig. lof the drawings, by reference to which it will be seen that adjacent tooneedge of the feed-opening X is supported a bagging-reel P, upon whichis reeled the bagging P of the proper width to incase the sides of thelower half of the finished bale.

By arrangingthe bagging devices asshown I the operator after the foldedbale is swung from under, theo peningX immediatelypulls the end of thebagging over the opening X and fastens the said endto the hookR. Aratchet-and pawl mechanism on the reel-shaft serveslto keep thesaidbagging taut. Now during the time in which the box isturned and thebale is being compressed and removed the'folder will operate to fold thecottononte the bagging, folding, as it were, they base of the bale. Whenthe empty bojxhas been returned under the opening X, the bagging is cutand it. and the folded cotton will fall ontothe follower Sin thebale-box. If desired, the relation of the folder and the bagging devicesand the cotton-box may be such thatan entire bale may be foldedonto thebaggingand itand the bagging dropped into the said box. As beforestated, in ba'lin'g cotton by the roller processthetop of thebale issofter than thebot-tom. .Toprovide. means for partially pressing thesaid top portion of the bale, I employ ail-auxiliary platen, whichismost clearly, illustrated in FigsZ'and 4, by reference to which itwill. beseen that upon theking-postT acastingU is mounted inturn, towhich is hinged atfV aseriesof bars W,

from which the platenframe Y is suspended by the chain Z and guide-linksA, all of which is balanced by acounter-weight B, arranged as shown l XBy referenceto Fig. 2 it will;he observed that the arms W are heldelevated, which lifts the platen up to a point above thepath of therotatable press-box. Now afterthe balehas been folded and the boxisturned to bring said bale over the presser and the said box is turnedto the positionshown in dotted lines the operator releases thebalance-weight, which allows the platen tofall on top of the bale andforcethe cotton a foot or more down into the box. The armsW in loweringwill fold down ontop of thejplaten flush with its transverse bars t, thedownward movement of the entire platen devices being limited by the rearendsof the arms in underpthe fixed platen ,or crosshead D.

To provide for theeasy operation of the said auxiliary platen, the wallsof the press-boxes E E are made tapering from bottom to top, whichrelieves the descending follower from all friction caused by theincrease in width and length of the bale in the cotton-box by weight ofcotton being gradually added by the folder.

Having thus described my invention and in a general way stated theoperation thereof, a detailed description of the complete operationthereof is deemed unnecessary.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a baling apparatus of the class described, the combination, with acontinuouslyoperated folder or lapping device and a compressing-platen,of a rotatable press-box havin g dual chambers arranged to alternatelyreceive the cotton from the lapper and carryit over thecompressing-platen, and means for temporarily receiving the cotton fromthe folder when the cotton-box is from under said folder, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

2. The combination, with the main frame and the rotatable cotton-boxheld thereon, of a rotatable auxiliary platen held on the main framenormally above the said cotton-box and adapted to be lowered thereinonto the cotton and to swing with said box under the fixed platen orcross-head of the main frame, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3. In a baling mechanism essentially as described, the auxiliary platenconsisting of the main casting U, the bars W, hinged thereto,

the platen-frame Y, suspended from said bars, and the counterbalancedevices, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4.. In a baling mechanism of the class described, an oscillating lapperor folder frame formed with extensible side sections, substantially asand for the purpose described.

5. In a'baling mechanism of the class described, a folding or lappingframe consisting of the fixedend pieces pivotally connected at theirtops to a supporting-frame, slatted telescopic side sections, and meansfor'oscillat-ing said frame and alternately and automatically increasingor diminishing the length of said side sections as the frame isoscillated, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a mechanism for the purpose stated, a lapper or folding deviceconsisting of an OS- cillating frame formed of the pivoted end pieces,the slatted sides, the telescopic slatted extensions J J theframe-supports for said lapper-frame, fixed gears held on said frame,the laterally-projected arms pivoted to the said end pieces, pitmanconnections between said arms and the telescopic sections J 2 J gearconnections between said arms and the fixed gears on the frame, andmeans for oscillating the said lapper-frame, whereby the lateral armswill be swung and serve to move the sections J 2 and J as stated, andfor the purpose specified.

EDMUND M. IVENS.' Witnesses:

HARRY K. IVENS, OHAs. BRILL.

